While there has been no progress in talks with the Colorado Avalanche, unsigned restricted free agent Ryan O’Reilly has terminated his contract with Metallurg Magnitogork of the Kontinental Hockey League.
The pressure is on for the Colorado Avalanche to finally sign their young star before he signs a new deal with a different KHL team or a deal for a team in a league we haven't even discussed yet.
A press release on the team’s official web site says the following (via Google Translate):
Magnitogorsk "Metallurg" terminated the contract with Ryan O’Reilly, by mutual agreement of the parties. This decision is due to two main factors:
1. Canadian striker received minor damage in one of the matches of the home series Magnitogorsk, and then aggravated it in the game with "tractor". Full recovery will take time.
2. Ryan and his agent continues to negotiate with one of the NHL. Given that the transfer window in the Continental Hockey League will close on January 31.
O’Reilly and administration of the hockey club" Metallurg ", by mutual initiative, held a joint meeting and decided to terminate the contract – Ryan did not rule out the possibility of a new contract overseas in February and realized that this development will affect the preparation of "Metallurg" to the playoffs.
The leaders of the hockey club thanked Ryan for performance in the Kontinental Hockey League for Magnitogorsk "Metallurg" and expressed previous interest in working with the attackers. In turn, O `Reilly said that he liked the level of organization of work in the" Metallurgy ", and thanked fans for their support!
While Avalanche fans must be happy that O’Reilly is no longer in Russia, it doesn’t relieve any of the pressure general manager Greg Sherman has to be feeling right now. Our very own David Rogers wrote about the hectic offseason Colorado was facing last April. Not having a key member of their future under contract and playing doesn’t bode well for the Colorado organization. O'Reilly's contract is an issue Colorado should have figured out long before it ever got to this point.
Since the KHL’s transfer window closes January 31st, O’Reilly and his agent are also feeling the pressure. If he can’t get a deal signed with Colorado before that date and he doesn’t find a new deal in Russia, O'Reilly will be forced to find an entirely new destination.
Let’s hope it doesn’t get to that point. Somewhere, there is a length and a dollar amount both sides can agree upon. Let’s all hope it comes sooner than later.
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